By Esther-Maria April 26 2012
1 Avocado a week balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and has been reported to prevent cervical cancer!

Avocado – rich in oleic acid, carotenoid lutein, Vitamin E & monounsaturated fats.  These goodies aid you in your protection of breast, uterine and cervical cancers, it targets the entire endocrine reproductive system, protects the nerves and enhances the feminine hormonal  balance.

NATURAL REPRODUCTIVE HEALING – PERSONAL

REFLECTIONS

This is a little personal reflection on my journey with the Arvigo Technique of Mayan Abdominal Therapy. What triggered the sharing of my own story so publicly is that I have personally managed to heal my own reproductive and digestive conditions through the help of combination of therapies which western medicine would have never acknowledged.

In my own practice I meet many women who have been traumatised, just as I was, on their journey to natural ferility, painful symptomatology of reproductive conditions, and a strive to conception.

It is sad to see that in the western world so few women know of the natural therapies available to them and by the time they literally only stumble upon them they are so raw emotionally that they give up as they just can’t handle any more psychologically / emotionally.

So what is my story then and how did I heal and manage my conditions?

Well my digestive health was tested significantly from young age, even pre-menstrual.  Due to eating disorders that I got really young from the pressures of ballet, I’ve had a screwed up relationship with food and the elemination of it from young on.  The constant starvation then binging has taken its tall on my digestive and I’ve had surgery at the age of 13.

In addition the beginning of my menstruation, although celebrated by my family as a coming of age, was nevertheless quite traumatic. For some reason the day before my period my blood pressure and blood sugar would always plummet and I would faint – every month, in the mornings on the bus on my way to school! This fainting was then followed by a 7-9 day period with super pains.  Naturally the western medicine could not help it in other ways then putting me on the pill.

The next 11 years on the pill saw me feeling more and more disconnected from being a women, from my sexual sensations and an overall numbness seemed to surround me, until I decided to ditch the contraceptive pill for good at the age of 25. And that was the best decision ever. Although the contraceptive pill was meant to manage my PCOS it actually did nothing for me.  At the age of 21 I have had to have surgery on both ovaries removing 7 cysts on the one and 9 on the other ovary.  Thanks to Reiki my recovery was according to the surgeon much faster then he would have anticipated.

In addition to the PCOS I’ve suffered from typical light symptomatology of Endometriosis, and so my struggle with extreme painful periods starting a day before the flow and strong PMS symptoms continued for nearly another decade.  Although Reiki helped me with the pain management the cysts returned at the age of 29, when I have had to experience a burst cyst.  A pain that I would not wish onto my worst enemy.  At about that time a friend of mine told me about Andrea Lopez who was doing these Mayan Abdominal Treatments which according to my friend really supported her with hr IBS and also the reproductive system.   And as I’ve been over doctors telling me that the only thing they can do is put me on the contraceptive pill or perform surgery I was more then happy to give Andrea a go.

My journey with her was amazing.  From the first treatment onwards I started feeling more connected with my female aspect of myself again.  I felt empowered of my health, as she taught me how to massage my own belly, and how to apply a castor oil pack.  Already after 2 treatements did I feel significant, positive changes – my food sensitivity seemed reduced, my chronic constipation seemed relieved and my blood flow during menstruation changed.  After initial monthly visits, I’ve been seeing Andrea for about 2 years on an infrequent basis while religiously applying my self-care.  In that time my period pain was massively reduced, my cysts on my ovaries were significantly reduced, and overal my health has significantly improved.

In 2010 Andrea brought out teachers of the Arvigo Therapy of Mayan Abdominal Therapy (ATMAT) from the US to teach clients of the Australian practitioners the theory behind ATMAT and how to perform self-care, teaching us some additional methods and even covering the profound support of herbs and tinctures with this.

Naturally, the nerd that I am, I’ve religously applied the self-care and continued to see another ATMAT practitioner twice yearly as Andrea moved to the Sunshine Coast, and in late 2010 I for the first time in my life have been 100% clear of ovarian cysts!!!  If you have ever suffered from PCOS you know what astonishing achievement that is.  In addition I have come to such strong awareness on how my pelvis responds to my emotional life, and to my personal care.  On a month where I did not perform all the self-care and was stressed my painful periods and heavy painful pelvis days before menstruation returned, and on months where I performed self-care and lived a balanced life I could go about my life during my period. Consequently the Arvigo Technique of Mayan Abdominal Therapy changed my life, which is why I signed up for the practitioner course run for the first time in Australia in January 2011.  Having personally experienced the powerful healing of ATMAT I felt driven to support women in through this work in the same manner as did Andrea for me.

It’s now been a little over a year since the first batch of Australian practitioners graduated from ATMAT, and it is sad to see that still today barely anyone knows about this powerful modality.  Clients who’ve stumbled upon me in the past year all said the same “Why didn’t we know about this?”

So here is my story, to showcase to you that healing is possible! Each and every ATMAT Practitioner stands testament to that as each and every practitioner was guided to do this work through their own personal healing.

Now if you wish to learn more about the Arvigo Technique of Mayan Abdominal therapy.  Call me on 0423949377 or email me on esther@kindledspirit.com.au.

CONCEPTION GUIDED BY THE MOON

Over the past couple of month I’ve had the honor of witnessing the journey of women in their quest to conception.  What baffled me was that despite them following the rhythm method (not for contraception but reversed) for conception, their partners or husbands having good sperm count and the women following nutrition, self-massage, and arvigo practice to a tee, how come they still did not conceive when pathologically everything should be right?!

So the naturally curiosity stirred within me, and got me talking to various practitioners, as well as looking at various literature, which is when I  stumbled across some literature regarding the re-discovery of the lunar influence on a women’s conception.

According to the rediscovery of ancient lunar charting by Dr. Eugen Jonas in the 1950′s a woman’s conception is guided by the lunar phase she was born in.  Dr. Jonas’s research and observation revealed that women who followed the rhythm method for contraception were still falling pregnant, despite pathological theories deeming them as being in an infertile period.  When looking at their conception dates and analysing the data from an astrological viewpoint, it showed that women were conceiving on times when the moon was in the exact lunar phase of their own time of birth! Consequently if a woman knows her lunar position at time of birth and gets an astrologer to draw up a timeline of moonphases for the next 12 month she can discover the best days for conception.  More over according to Dr. Jonas’s research a woman could even influence the sex of the child – if the child was conceived when the moon was in an air or fire sign (which is the masculine sign) the child had a greater potential of becoming a boy, and when conception occured with the moon in an earth or water sign (feminine sign) the child had a greater chance of becoming a girl.

If you think about it this theory deeper, it makes complete sense! If a woman has discontinued hormonal treatment for a couple of months, her monthly cycle is re-aligning itself with the moon phases.  Most women when becoming more aware record their alignment of their menstruation with a particular moon phase – which is how the synonym “moontime” is often used to describe one’s period.  Moreover we all know that if women live together their cycles align with each other and women start bleeding together.  In ancient times this generally was recorded to be aligned with the dark moon.  In these times women gathered together in tents, special huts, or other sacred places where the young women who haven’t bled yet, and the wise women who have finished bleeding will care for the sacred women who shed the blood, the life force into straw or hey or else, to then be buried or burned so that the sacred gift of life is returned to mother earth and the creator.  In these ancient times women were considered sacred during their “moontime” and treated as such.  Modern society, and especially feminist movements often pre-maturely condemn the moon lodges as they believe women in their moontime were seen as dirty and outcasts.  On the contrary, women in their moon were believed to be more powerful, too powerful for men to handle, with greater psychic ability.  Because of the envy men had for the monthly sacredness and ritual of shedding life and conducting ceremony a lot of ancient cultures created masculine ceremonies of sacrifice and self-sacrifice in order to take part in the giving of life for receiving life, to complete the cycle of life and death, and give of oneself in gratitude of the power and blessings bestowed by the creator.

But I’m going of track.  The crux is that women, human beings are guided by the moon, as the oceans and seas of the earth.  Ancient cultures such as the Maya, Incan and Babylonian knew this long ago, and thankfully modern day science is rediscovering it and making the wisdom available again to the public.

So if you are trying to conceive, or if you are using the rhythm method for contraception I like to highly recommend to you to dwelve deeper into the science of your personal lunar phase, and the theories of Dr. Eugen Jonas.  Please see below some interesting sources online.

Astro Elite on Dr. Eugen Jonas

Lunar Conception on Conception Contraception & Gender Selection

Menstruation.com.au on Charting with the Moon

Felicity Oswell on Your Lunar Fertile Cycle

REIKI AND CHILDREN

A little known fact is that Reiki is perfectly safe to use on children.  In general children respond very positive to Reiki treatments. Please allow me to give you a few case study examples:

Firstly couple of years ago when my little niece was only 2.5 years old she had a little pain around her face as she bumped into something.  I then told her that I will help her take the pain away and give her some healing but that it might hurt a little more in the first 30 seconds but it will then go very quickly.  Reassured, and knowing what to expect she allowed me to place my hands onto her cheek.  She enjoyed the Reiki so much that throughout my visit there she conjured up “face pain” in order to get some Reiki until I told her she didn’t need to have pain to receive Reiki and could just receive it when she wishes.  A few years later, she is now 5 years old and at her last visit she was again so interested in the Reiki energy that she constantly wanted to receive it, but also learn how to use it.  As children of that age are still open they don’t need attunements, they don’t need to have  a class and I believe they are to young to actually learn, I would only teach her what to visualise and feel when she would place her hands on others.  So my mother, her grandmother, has Rheumatism and Multiple Sclerosis, and as I was giving her a treatment for her pain relief, my niece participated, and my mother said that she could absolutely feel the energy through her as she generally experiences it through me. So yes, children are still connected and can learn this if THEY WISH.  Not if the parents wish it.  Also their attention span isn’t as strong so allow them to just do it and receive it at their own space, their own decision.

Another example is the son of the Yoga studio I am practicing at.  He’s been so fascinated by the crystals in my healing room that he has often snug in to just sit with them.  When he then observed me treating their dogs with Reiki he started bugging his mum that he wanted a treatment and so we did.  With children again, keep in mind they don’t need as much as adults, so tell them that at any point when they don’t want anymore they can just get up.  This little boy just loved the energy and when I finished the Reiki he actually did not want to get of the treatment table but wanted to stay and get more Reiki!!!! hahahaha.  It was just so cute.  Again as with my niece I told him what to visualise and feel if he wanted to give someone else a healing and according to a family friend he’s been doing healings on his brother since .

A final little example are newborns.  As a doula I naturally work a lot with newborns and support mothers in their first days after birth.  Throughout the handling of multiple baby’s over the past years I’ve come to notice that babies respond particularly well.

Gentle Baby Essential Oil

Dilute 1 drop Gentle Baby to 1 teaspoon V-6 (a carrier oil) Apply topically for dry, chapped skin or diaper rash.

Diffuse (do NOT add a carrier oil when diffusing as it could ruin your diffuser).

Apply over mother’s abdomen, on feet, lower back, face, and neck areas.

Dilute with 1-2 tablespoons V-6 for body massage and for applying on baby’s skin, tips for foot massage.

For Pregnancy and Delivery: Use for massage throughout entire pregnancy for relieving stress and anxiety, and to prevent scarring and creating serenity. Massage on the perineum to help it stretch for easier birthing.

Mix a drop of Gentle Baby with a dab of Tender Tush for softening skin anywhere on the body – this is excellent for heels, knees, legs, elbows, tummies, or hands!

Use in the same dilution with V-6 for birthing mother dogs.

Multidimensional Healing = Transformation

What do I mean by multidimensional healing?  We are multidimensional beings.  We have our physical body, emotional body, mental body, spiritual body, and we are connected to the universal energy field.  All these bodies are connected by our chakras and our chakras are connected via nadi channels.

Now if we extend beyond this physical body, and if all bodies are connected, don’t you think you need to address all levels when trying to transform and heal yourself?

In my own practice I can often see how we start on one of the healing paths (physical, mental emotional, spiritual) and how that often sets off a natural chain in which we are drawn to start working on another level as well.

For example we sometimes have such mental, spiritual or emotional energy embodied in our physical bodies, that sometimes it’s not enough to just do a spiritual healing, but we actually need to combine spiritual healing energies, with physical touch too move the blockages, or we need to add good nutrition and exercise into our system in order to create a physical body that supports that journey to enlightment.

In my practice I’ve often observed clients or students who are only keen on developing the upper chakras that are important for opening to your spiritual gifts, and connecting with spirit, god, your higher self.  But how do you think you can experience those energies and utilise those energies if you are not grounded, if you don’t have a strong foundation?

In the end we are multidimensional beings. Our souls decided to incarnate into this physical reality in order to experience physical life, on all multidimensional levels.  So in order to be able to fully experience life we need to be grounded, we need to be connected, we need to be in the here and now and also focus on all levels.

Other people for example come to those ways from the physical side.  Sometimes I have observed clients / students or friends and friends of friends, who started their journey through fitness, and weightloss.  That journey however will most definitely lead you to another level.  Cause again if we only address the physical body and not address emotional, mental and spiritual body we remain disconnected, we will not be able to find true fulfilment.

Consequently I believe we need to nurture all these levels in order to bring balance, harmony, healing and wellbeing into our life. 

So how can you do that?  How can you address all levels? Start learning about yourself.  Start learning about the wisdom that sits behind creation and also your own bodies and chakras.  Start developing a weekly – monthly balanced schedule that addresses each level.  As an example this is how I would address the different levels in my own life:

Physical

• Bikram Yoga or Power Yoga at the Bikram Yoga Gosford, Beach Walks, Massage, Arvigo Technique of Mayan Abdominal Therapy (ATMAT), Nutrition (Young Living & Floradix), Healthy Food, Sexuality, Accupuncture, Naturopaths, Osteopaths, Crystal Healing.

Spiritual

• Reiki Jin Kei Do, Meditation, Sweat Lodges, Readings, Chakra Balances, Observing Nature, Observing Myself, Philosophy, Sacred Sexuality, Crystal Healing, Smudging, Ceremony.

Emotional

• Reiki Jin Kei Do, ATMAT, Sweat Lodges, Being in the Now, Young Living Oils, Sacred Sexuality, Kinesiology, Crystal Healing.

Mental

• Meditations, Reading, Studying,  Chakra Work, Self-Analysis / Understanding of one’s believes and perceptions that underline all thoughts, psychoanalysis, Crystal Healing.

So take a look at your life and see which components you are already nourishing.  Are you following a healthy wholesome diet, are you exercising frequently? Do you practice meditation or reiki? Have you ever questioned yourself about why you believe what you believe? Do you read or learn something new? How are you nurturing your spiritual self?  What part of yourself have you neglected and how can you bring equality into the nurturing and healing of yourself?

by Bassam Younes April 26 2012

Imagine the most painful experiences you’ve ever had—with your parents, your partner, your friends, your children. Include death, abuse, trauma, and what you will.

Now imagine your life without that pain. - How would things be different? Who would you be?

What if you no longer felt attached to your fears, your self-judgments, or your disappointments? What if, for the rest of your life, you couldn’t play the victim, and you even welcomed problems?”

The above is the assertion that, Byron Katie, founder of the revolutionary method of self enquiry called the Work that is changing thousands of people’s lives around the globe, makes.

You’ll forgive me if I am sounding like an overzealous salesman, it’s hard not.

Byron Katie has been described as “a spiritual innovator for the new millennium.”

I was first introduced to the Work 3 months ago by energetic healer at the Red Tent, Corina Tan.  Upon seeing its benefits on myself I immediately put it into practice with my clients. The results have been astonishing. I’m really heartened that such a tool exists in our present world climate of conflict and suffering.

I have been a researcher and explorer of consciousness related matters for some 30 years. I am steeped in esoteric teachings and the relative jargon, and I meditate daily 3 or more hours. But I have never come across anything like the Work. It is, in my opinion, what the Buddhists, the Sufis, and other traditions old and new would have loved to possess. Certainly, these noble teachings were no strangers to truth, but what Byron Katie has done is synthesize the fundamental elements of human suffering into 4 easy to apply and accessible questions that enquire into the heart of any situation, to offer clarity, and freedom.

This is remarkable. All the literature in the world on the subject of human development culminating in Byron Katie’s 4 questions. Needless to say, this is only my opinion.

“The Work identifies and questions the thoughts that cause all the fear, violence, depression, frustration, and suffering in the world.” Byron Katie says.

Indeed. Daily we make statements about reality that we unwittingly convince ourselves are true. Mostly these are stories about reality that are stressful. We don’t question them and readily suffer their result.

“Reality is not the problem, your thinking is. But only 100% of the time.” Byron Katie.

I had the good opportunity last week to attend a 5 day Work retreat in Byron Bay called Return to Innocence. In this time I saw 15 participants from all walks of life again and again gain freedom from issues that had caused them so much suffering in their lives.

The following is an excerpt copied from Katie’s Blog.

Note: The 4 questions are (as relate to a specific complaint, as in the following example, “I shouldn’t have married this man”):

1. Is it true?
2. Can you absolutely know its true?
3. How do you react, what happens, when you attach to this thought?
4. Who or what would you be without this thought?

Then the turn around…

“I shouldn’t have married this man”

Here is a letter from a woman in Europe kind enough to write to Katie even though her first language isn’t English.

“For twenty years I’ve been married with my husband and you know, I had for twenty years resentment in this and I couldn’t get through it. I did The Work on it last August, I sent a letter, and still my resentment didn’t resolve till now. I couldn’t find what i was fighting…..was it my illusion to fight…….I don’t love him or was it my heart telling me it wasn’t the right man. I did the work on it and I couldn’t come to a point and then…………

I spoke about it with my coach and went home, still not knowing what to do, bit of crying in the car…….. a friend of mine came by and I told her where it stops for me, where I couldn’t get through the problem so she said…………….. “YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE MARRIED THIS MAN..is that true????????…………………….”.

as soon i heard this question, I burst into a big laugh…..the reality was and is I AM MARRIED WITH THIS MAN and then she asked……..”who are you do when you don’t think this thought…………” Then the curtain went up and I started for the first time to see what this marriage has brought me ……..4 beautiful kids, home, a handsome man who stayed next to me durint all those bad times……..I started to see the good things.. for the first time in a long, long, long time

And I was so used to seeing all the negative things. I distracted me from him, so I lost myself, and my husband lost me, and we were both looking where i was .My mind wanted to see all the proofes of not having a good marriage………..oh what a bad time i had with this way of looking. really shocking.

My mind was my prison.

Questions 1 and 2 made me really laugh and question 3 ….I started to see how i created my own misery, and finding all the proofs and i could only see the bad times as proof.
Now I can see the opposite and am wondering how this changed my way of looking in only one shift. and not only in my marriage , but also in other ways.
the negative thoughts about myself are disappearing and I can feel myself coming out of my shelter.

But the big question now is ……………….I did the School in 2006….and after that, I still did……..but why didn’t i come to this simple point earlier this year?….. it is so really easy, why did I miss it all the time?………..

So now I have to get used to a life with nice points of views in my marriage and this feels rather funny.”

Thank you for writing, dearest, and I don’t call it The Work for nothing! Daily maintenance can give a life of joy and understanding to all situations, in my experience and freedom to love is your birthright. I invite you to check into possibilities of enrolling in the Institute for The Work. I developed this ongoing life school for those people who have been to the School for The Work and choose to do The Work as a daily practice. I like to say, “Do the work for breakfast and have a great life.” I am so very happy that you know how to find the way to your heart, husband, family, world, and peace. Thank you, angel. In love and gratitude for your humor, love, and light.

xoxo
kt

Bassam Younes is an Innerwealth coach. He trains people in mindfulness meditation and breath techniques. He is also a Rebirther and Astrologer.

Bassam is available for private consultations at the Red Tent on Fridays. To make an inquiry or book in for a session with Bassam call 1800 RED TENT today!

“Experience the happiness of undoing thoughts that cause you pain, to allow your mind to return to its true awakened, peaceful, creative nature.”

By Sarah Hensley

BA, Grad Dip Psychology, Grad Dip Counselling, Psychotherapy & Diploma of Clinical Hypnotherapy

General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a very common condition that affects many of us at some time in our lives. At any one time it is estimated that nearly 15 per cent of the Australian population (around two million people) has been diagnosed with GAD and are actively seeking treatment through medication or some form of cognitive therapy.

In essence recurrent anxiety is a form of intense worrying about health, work, fear of the future or a wide range of situations that may occur in the future that creates an immense amount of emotional suffering. So what can we do to control our anxiety levels?

It is important to understand that anxiety, like most emotional reactions, has a structure.

We are all familiar with the patterns of recurring negative thinking: the thought loops that maintain and amplify worry and anxiety. This internal dialogue can be relentless and often hits us in the early hours of the morning, if we can sleep at all! This negative thinking tends to solidify into generalized beliefs about the future, about ourselves and other people that takes on a life of their own. We become consumed by worry about things that may never happen. But, most importantly, the worry thinking does not in any way help us deal with the objective reality of things that need our attention. In fact the reactive thinking makes us less able to cope, leaves us feeling drained and confused.

Clearly, the path to controlling anxiety must involve changing these internal negative thought loops and beliefs. However, most people find this extremely hard to do.

Mindfulness is a therapeutic technique that emerged from Eastern philosophy and encourages us to live fully in the present moment. Western psychology has borrowed many of the concepts and using aspects of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) works to make a distinction between who we are and what we think. So often what we think is going to happen, what we think other people are thinking and our own inner judgements and criticisms make life seem more stressful than it really is.

Focusing on releasing the trapped, frozen emotional energy that has become attached to habitual thinking is one of the primary focuses of Mindfulness Therapy. First we train ourselves to identify these negative thought reactions. This is most important, because we cannot change what we cannot see.

Therefore, we must make our reactions visible by paying very close attention to catch them as and when they arise. But after mastering this, we shift our attention away from the content or story that forms the cognitive structure of the anxiety reaction to the emotional feeling quality that gives it power. This is called “sitting with the emotion.” We learn to sit with our anxiety, without getting caught up in further reactivity and thinking, or in trying to attack the negative thoughts. We are, in fact, learning to turn our attention towards the reaction, and this changes everything.

Mindfulness Therapy is well researched and evidence-based. A recent study* took a sample of anxious subjects and treated one group with Progressive Muscle Relaxation and thought suppression and a second with Mindfulness Therapy. Both groups showed equal post-treatment improvement in the clinical and daily self-report measures. However, mindfulness participants reported better emotional meta-cognition (emotional comprehension) and showed improved indices of somatic and autonomic regulation (reduced breathing pattern and increased vagal reactivity during evocation of cardiac defense). These findings suggest that mindfulness reduces chronic worry by promoting emotional and physiological regulatory mechanisms contrary to those maintaining chronic worry.

EXERCISE

1. Sit down and get comfortable. Close your eyes. Allow yourself to relax and practice basic mindfulness of breathing to steady the mind.
2. Open the field of your awareness until it feels like a large space.
3. Introduce an anxiety emotion into this space and experiment with just sitting with it as you would with a friend: looking and listening very carefully with interest and an open mind.
4. Find the colour that best fits the feeling.
5. Experiment with surrounding that colour with another colour. Try the exact opposite colour first and notice the shift in feeling intensity of the anxiety.
6. Develop this imagery and try other modifications in size, position and movement.
7. Continue monitoring the change in intensity on a 1-10 scale. When the anxiety has reduced by at least 50% open your eyes and take a break before returning for another round.
8. Repeat the whole process 5 to 10 times for 3 to 4 days. Notice how your perceptions change each day.

Now, of course it is easier to do this with a skilled mindfulness therapist, but you will probably be quite surprised at how quickly things change once you get down to the detailed sensory level, made possible through focused mindfulness.

*‘Treating chronic worry: Psychological and physiological effects of a training programme based on mindfulness’ (Delgado, L. C., Guerra, P., Perakakis, P.,Vera, M. N., et al. (2010). Behaviour Research and Therapy, 1-10.)

We’ve read two stories and now I’m sitting by the door with laptop on knee as that was the arrangement we came to together. Eedi and I had a discussion about how we were going to change the evening routine so it worked for both of us, not just her.

THE BACKGROUND:

My little darling is three and a half, I’m six months pregnant with number two and have been lying with her until she’s asleep and promptly falling asleep for the night myself. I have to say, all the extra sleep has done wonders for my complexion but the night just goes, presto it’s morning again and I’ve got nothing done – so – with another little one on the way – I thought it was time to change the routine.

Initially Eedi didn’t want to talk about it, but she came around to discussing different options… I could continue to sleep with her till she fell asleep (her pref), she could put herself to sleep entirely (that would be amazing – she was so not into that), Daddy could put her to sleep sometimes (she only wants me)… no no… it wasn’t looking good but then…

We came up with – I would read her some stories in bed, then I would work on my computer near the door so she could see me and she’d fall asleep by herself with the bed side lamp on. This solution worked for both of us – in theory!

CURRENTLY:

She’s come over for an extra cuddle, now we’ve said “sweet dreams” to each other and she’s gone back to bed. It seems she has already passed out – wow this would be fast if this is the case.

The first night we tried it (two nights ago) she fell asleep in two seconds and I was stoked. Last night it took more like 15-20 minutes – and tonight – I can hear the deep breathing – I think she’s gone already.

Bingo! Thanks “Redirecting Children’s Behaviour” by Kathryn Kvlos – I think that’s how you spell her name, I’ve lent the book to a client it’s so good. It’s all about connection parenting and how you can both get what you want and work through stuff together – I love it – have read it about three times.

Over and out people – my baby is asleep! I’m clocking off – it’s 855pm

Often we get asked about exercise before, during and after birth. While there is no specific science, as everybody (and every body) is unique in their own way, there is a rough blueprint you can follow to insure you are getting your fitness in and keeping healthy without overdoing it.

Pre Pregnancy

This is a time for cleansing the body from toxins and building the strength and stamina you will need for the months ahead. Pregnancy and labour are taxing on the body and the more you prepare for this wonderful time the better. It’s a great time to focus on building back muscles and core strength for supporting the weight of your growing belly and to help you recover at a speedier pace post-pregnancy.

Keep in mind: No one should go from 0-100 so if you have not been exercising, start slowly and be sure to check in with your personal doctor.

The plan: 3-5 days a week of cardio. Running, biking, dancing and brisk walking are all great options.

This is a great time to start Pilates or yoga if you have not already done so. Both are great during and after pregnancy to help strengthen both your core and your back.

During Pregnancy

The first three months of pregnancy can be a difficult time. Some women feel quite affected by the change in hormones. Nausea and fatigue can be really prominent at this first stage. Don’t do too much: This is a time to be resting and nurturing yourself with a good diet and slowing down on activity.

The plan: Now is a great to start a prenatal yoga class or Pilates.  You can continue at the activity level you had before pregnancy (as long as it is not horse riding, scuba diving or rock climbing!) but don’t try to increase it. Working on your leg and arm strength is great because you will be doing a lot of lifting and squatting once your little bundle of joy has arrived.

Keep in mind:  While lifting weights after your first three months of pregnancy is okay, you will need to reduce the weight and increase your reps. Consult your personal trainer at your gym for advice and help.

If you are still feeling tired or uneasy do your best to incorporate at least a little bit of activity into your everyday, such as a walk to or from work or even a lunchtime stroll. In pregnancy your blood volume triples, so getting up and moving daily is so important as the body need all the help it can get to cope with the extra fluid in the body.  The more you move the less likely you will be to get swollen ankles and legs.

Another tip: It is also great to spend some time with your legs up! Rest on the couch and swing the legs up on the arm rest or up the wall, or lie on the floor with your legs on a chair daily.

We do recommend not reclining in later stages of pregnancy so that bub moves into the ultimate position for birth… things like dusting the skirting boards is a much better posi for you to encourage bub to be head down with their back aligned along your midline.

At the end of pregnancy you need to slow down again, and rest up before your little one arrives. If you can it is great so stick to your prenatal yoga and pilates (2-3 x week) and a daily gentle walk.

Post Pregnancy

Post pregnancy is a time to heal and restore. Ideally you need to rest and get nurtured by loved ones while you nurture your little baby. Getting enough food is important and while it may initially be a challenge, try to get enough sleep as well. Don’t worry about getting back into your pre-pregnancy shape for the first 6-8+ weeks! You need to rest when possible and the little walking you do with your baby in the pram will be enough at this stage.

The plan:  Walking is great and you can even join a ‘mum and bub’ yoga or Pilates class or get a group of mums together and hire a private trainer who is experienced with post pregnancy exercising.

Keep in mind: If you had stitches, c-section etc you might not be able to do anything for 8+ weeks. Allow your self to heal.

Another tip:  During and post-pregnancy it is extremely important to do your pelvic floor exercises daily!

Don’t push yourself too much in the first 6 months, respect the enormous changes and challenges your body has been through the past 9 months!

Calm your fears and feel free again. There’s no need to sit through nine months of “what ifs” and unanswered questions.

Side note: Have an important question you want answered now? Just ask. No twitter account? We still welcome your questions!

What you are putting into your body (in more ways than one) are the key to curing your anxiety: diet and acupuncture.

Red Tent’s in-house nutrition expert Anna-Maria Boleskov suggests including magnesium in your daily food regiment. Why? Magnesium plays an important role in keeping healthy blood glucose levels which helps to not only alleviate anxiety during pregnancy, but is also important for your energy and your mood. Magnesium also helps to reduce blood pressure, prevent preeclampsia, and can even help improve your sleep.

There are heaps of easy and delicious ways to get your daily dose of magnesium. Tofu and legumes are both rich in magnesium and work well together over a salad (choose green leafy veges and some spinach for your salad and you’ll add even more magnesium!) or in your soup. Just as easy: snack on Brazil nuts, almonds, and cashews for a filling and nutritious treat. Also on the list: whole grains, wheat bran, pumpkin and squash seeds and oatmeal. Some more menu ideas: oatmeal with fresh fruit for breakfast, a salad sprinkled with pumpkin and squash seeds for lunch, and a tofu and rice dish for dinner.

Next on the list: Schedule yourself in for an acupuncture treatment. How, you may wonder, does having someone stick needles in you alleviate anxiety?

Acupuncturist Natalie Simon can think of five solid reasons how a treatment can help alleviate your worries. Firstly, acupuncture calms the mind/shen, via the heart and pericardium channels. It can help calm your emotions, via the liver meridian. Furthermore, a treatment can help you sleep: a big contributor to anxiety. Acupuncture also has the ability to calm and relax, moving blood, moving Qi (we’ll cover that another time!), quieting down the heart rate, and lowering blood pressure. And keep in mind: Acupuncture is a form of therapy. Simply allowing yourself to lie back and be listened to welcomes a sense of relaxation.

The reasons you are suffering from anxiety may seem endless, but putting a stop to the stress and giving yourself a chance to embrace this gorgeous experience (you’re having a baby!) is only a few short steps away.

Give these suggestions a go and let us know how you feel! We welcome your feedback.

Firstly, don’t be afraid: You are not alone. It’s one of the most common issues we treat at Red Tent Health Centre. Here’s the good news: With the right foods and a few harmless needles, you can restore your iron levels and feel a renewed sense of energy.

According to our resident naturopath, Belinda Kirkpatrick, women’s iron requirements are about 80% higher than for men because of menstruation and child bearing. That’s not all: more than half of women consume less than the recommended 10-15 mg daily.

Help yourself heal by keeping foods that are rich in iron on hand. Belinda suggests lean red meats, sardines, mussels, wheat germ, parsley, dried apricots, peaches and prunes and almonds. Some tasty ways to include these foods in your diet: keep a small sack of dried fruit and almonds in your handbag to snack on throughout the day, add acidic dressings to your salad (such as lemon and vinegar), and eat bitter green veggies or fruit before or during your meals. Why? To help improve the flow of gastric acid which will assist you in absorbing the minerals you need. And you may want to lay off the coffee and tea for awhile. There’s no denying they both can benefit your health, but as far as iron deficiency is concerned, both coffee and tea can make absorption difficult. A fabulous alternative? A refreshing glass of water with a splash of lemon.

Eating right is only one piece of the puzzle. Red Tent co-director and Acupuncturist, Rebecca Mar Young explains “When one suffers from anemia it is an indication that their digestion is not operating properly. Acupuncture can help to improve your digestive system by assisting your body in making more blood.”  She reckons that a few months of treatment, paired with the right nutrition, will get your body in balance.

But does acupuncture hurt?

I can answer that one. I’ve been working on reception at Red Tent and treating myself to the many different natural health treatments here. In a word: no! I liken the feeling to an ever-so-slight pinch (in fact, I kind of like it!). And while some may find the initial insert just slightly uncomfy, once in, it’s smooth sailing: simply relax on the massage table, close your eyes and listen to the beautiful music, letting all the needles do their magic!

No need to suffer one second longer: Give our suggestions a go and let us know how you feel!

It seems there is a lot of confusion around coffee. Is it good for us? Is it healthy because its strong in antioxidants, a powerful medicine, a migraine preventative … Or is it dragging us into its charisma, and punishing us slowly, like an addictive, destructive relationship. When is it a good thing and when is it bad? and how much is ok?

I decided to ask our experts and together tackle the complicated relationship we have with coffee: Is it our friend or enemy?

Read about what our Nutritionist, Osteopath, Acupuncturist, Shiatsu Therapist and Psychotherapist have to say about coffee.

I asked our Nutritionist, Anna-Maria Boelskov, What are the benefits of coffee?

Anna-Maria: Freshly brewed coffee (not instant) contains antioxidant phytochemicals that may help protect the body from cancer and heart disease. Because coffee stimulates the central nervous system and metabolism it can help to improve concentration, reduce the feeling of fatigue and speed up fat metabolism. Used in moderation coffee can provide antioxidants, improve alertness and assist in weight loss.

Naomi: So how much is healthy?

Anna-Maria: Coffee intake should not exceed 3 cups per day. One or two is what I recommend, if you are a keen coffee drinker and only if you are not pregnant.

Naomi: When is it  unhealthy?

Anna-Maria: Coffee is a diuretic and in being so it depletes us of our water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C and the B vitamins, especially vitamin B5 – our anti-stress vitamin. It also affects the mineral status of the body by preventing iron absorption and reduces Zinc, Magnesium, Potassium and Calcium levels in the body. All of these are very important nutrients when trying to conceive.

Coffee can also increase the likelihood of pre-term delivery and reduced birth weight. Caffeine readily crosses the placenta into the foetal circulation, which may be dangerous because the foetus is not developed enough to metabolise coffee yet.

I do not recommend the consumption of coffee in pregnancy as it reduces the function of the lower oesophageal sphincter, which may worsen or cause reflux. It also takes twice as long to metabolise caffeine when pregnant.

What Chinese Medicine has to say:

Naomi Abeshouse says:

“As an acupuncturist, I know that coffee has a direct impact on the liver. It is a ‘hot’ herb, and as such, moves energy and with higher doses can scatter our energy and with long term use, will be depleting for our liver yin. But what does that mean? It means that for those of us feeling stagnant, it can temporarily joggle things about and make us feel like we have more energy but its a cheap trick, because it actually ends up depleting our deeper resources. So, basically for us healthy humans, its okay in moderation. But it should best be avoided for those of us who tend to have poor circulation of energy (or liver qi stagnation, with symptoms including PMT, moodiness, depression, anxiety) or have been diagnosed by our chinese doctor with yin deficiency (yin gets depleted with overwork, lack of sleep and extra stress).”

The other thing to watch out for, is that using coffee can shadow other things that are going on – fatigue, tiredness, lethargy, and even depression. It can be a pretty strong stimulant that we crave and self-medicate with when we feel like we just dont have the energy (or ‘qi’) to get through the day. When we step over our bodies signals of tiredness we tap into our deeper resources and deplete ourselves in a way that impacts greatly on our longevity. The longer we avoid listening to our bodies cues, the further we dig ourselves into un-health.”

What our Osteopath, Morgan Langford-Salisbury, thinks about coffee:

“Coffee is an acid forming food which can cause inflammation in the tissues of the body aggravating inflammatory conditions like arthritis and gout, and can also contribute to inflammation in the gut contributing to IBS. If the bowel is irritated it can refer pain to the low back and vice versa through shared nerve pathways so by cutting back on acidic foods like coffee, you may have a positive effect on inflammatory musculoskeletal conditions.

There is a strong, positive correlation between back pain and the lack of adequate water intake (dehydration). This is particularly true for the intervertebral discs. The disc serves as a hydraulic shock absorber and experiences downward pressure when we stand or sit. In order for the disc to function properly it must have an adequate water supply. The water in the disc is retained by specialized molecules that are capable of holding more than 500 times their weight in water. This unique capacity accounts for the disc’s hydrostatic pressure when properly hydrated. A disc that becomes dehydrated loses hydrostatic pressure and cannot support the load placed upon it. When this happens the disc becomes inflamed (swells), causing soreness and pain.

Coffee is a diuretic meaning that it sucks water out of the body tissues. When the tissues aren’t well-hydrated they become more fibrous, less elastic and stiff, and blood and lymph fluid flow becomes stagnate. This means that the cells of the body are not replenished optimally if people don’t counteract coffee’s diuretic effect by drinking more water, and coffee intake is something to consider if you suffer from back pain. Are you drinking an increased amount of water to counteract the diuretic effects coffee has on the body?

Coffee also reduces calcium absorption in the body which may, with chronic use, be a factor associated with decreased bone density.

Lastly, coffee is a stimulant. A lot of us depend on our morning coffee to get us going and energised for the day. One coffee is fine, although increased caffeine intake from coffee can over-stimulate the sympathetic nervous system which controls our fight/flight response. If this part of the nervous system is constantly stimulated it can contribute to increased tension and tightness in the body. So if you suffer from neck and shoulder tension have you considered how much coffee you are consuming? This may play a part in stress-related tension headaches, neck pain and increase symptoms in people who suffer from anxiety.

Food for thought and my thought is that there are more cons than pros.”

And what is the perspective of our Shiatsu therapist, Sue Kyle?

Sue says: “I take a wholisitc view of coffee use which is informed by a macrobiotic/wholefood approach to diet and lifestyle. Coffee has very few benefits. It is made using chemicals and with dangerous pesticides that are harmful to the environment that it is grown in. Coffee is also grown in third world countries for a western market and much of the land that they could be using for their own food is used to grow coffee for the wealthier countries. From a physical perspective, coffee is a stimulant and regular consumption of coffee even as little as 2 cups a day can initiate symptoms such as nervousness, anxiety, insomnia, heart disease, stomach problems and moodiness. As a shiatsu therapist, I can treat these symptoms but only a change in coffee drinking patterns will alleviate them completely. Coffee is best enjoyed on a weekly basis or every now and then but regular daily drinking is really depleting your system and creating more stress in your body which is already dealing with your busy life at maximum capacity.

Sue recommends: “Experiment for yourself – before you have your morning coffee close your eyes for moment and notice how your body feels, notice your breathing and your heartbeat then do the same after you have your coffee – is your breathing different? How about your heartbeat? Experiment with withdrawing coffee from your daily routine and see if it results in more energy or better sleep, better concentration and less moodiness…..try it for yourself and then decide how you want to feel.”

What does our psychotherapist, Michele Haifer, have to say about it?

I asked Michelle: What may be some of the underlying reasons for excessive caffeine intake? How does one get through it?

 Michelle says: “If you’re finding that your intake of coffee is excessive and is affecting the way you feel or behave, it may be time to ask yourself some questions that will require some honest answers. “What else am I needing or not addressing in my life right now?” Maybe you’re stressed, feeling anxious, exhausted, needing time out or have ongoing difficulties that are unresolved. The quick coffee fix momentarily makes us feel good and keeps the underlying feelings at bay for a while. The first step is to talk about your concerns with someone to help alleviate the need to self soothe with caffeine. From there other steps can be taken to help you reduce your intake.”

Rebecca & her daughter Eedi

I remember being at school and feeling starved by recess, which is when I’d fill up on a small packet of chips, maybe a biscuit or two and some fruit. It did nada for my concentration and wasn’t satisfying. I would often feel a bit dizzy I’d get so hungry, which meant I needed more protein and certainly couldn’t concentrate on school work.

There is quite a gap between breakfast and recess, even more so when parents work or when kids start going to high school, so getting into good habits early will set them up well for life. Their lunch box needs to be filled with nutritional food. Of course it would be great if your kids had breakfast that started with some protein to kick off their day too!

Some suggestions for your child that will nourish their brain as well as taste buds and tummy include the following… where possible, get them to help you prepare the food as their input will mean there is a higher chance they’ll eat it:

RECESS:

• Hard boiled organic free-range egg
• Corn fritters (pop chickpeas in when making to increase protein levels)
• A mix of sunflower seeds, pepitas, dried cranberries and shaved coconut
• Miso soup, Free-range Chicken soup, Lentil soup in winter
• Blanched carrot sticks, sugar snaps and snow peas
• Fruit in season (check the side list) Blue berries, Strawberries, cut up apple, mandarins, grapes & cherries.
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Falafel (made with chickpeas so a good protein hit)
• Savoury muffins: Pumpkin and basil, Honey and carrot (when cooking you can pop in some ground Chia seeds which are packed with anti-oxidants).

LUNCH:

• Cooked tuna sushi
• Wraps & Sandwiches with hummus, sardines (brain food) or salmon or free-range cold meats and lettuce
• Instead of meat and fish you could also try tempeh and lentils for their protein fix in the wrap.

The key to lunch is that it’s packed with protein. So if your child is only into cheese or vegemite, it’s time to look at other ways of getting it in. You can buy tuna spread which is a good start to broadening their pallet.

by Rebecca Mar Young – Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs & Chinese dietary therapy for women and children